


Secrets and Daggers

by lalalandiki, zhemao



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Chi Blocking, Gen, Martial Arts, Wuxia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28365813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalalandiki/pseuds/lalalandiki, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhemao/pseuds/zhemao
Summary: Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. But always, there were threats to the peace. The Great Sages say that only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could keep the world in balance. But in the fourteenth year of the Era of Kyoshi, the new Avatar was yet to be found.In Ba Sing Se, the health of the Earth King, much like that of the nation he ruled, was in steep decline. His descendants fought a bitter battle for succession, each wishing to be the next to sit upon the ancient throne. But this was not a battle fought by armies on the field, but one waged by assassins in the gilded palaces of the eternal city. Trained killers, experts in the art of poisons and hidden blades, flocked to the employ of these ambitious princes. This is the tale of this hidden conflict, known today as the War of Secrets and Daggers.
Kudos: 3
Collections: Avatar: The Last Airbender





	1. Chapter 1

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the match of a lifetime.”

The announcer’s voice boomed across the packed auditorium. The crowd roared and shook the cage that separated them from the _leitai_ (1).

 _Why did I agree to go through with this?_ Jinyi thought to herself as she stepped into the cage and walked to the edge of the platform. As the announcer continued, she watched her opponents step up, one by one, onto the other corners of the ring.

“In this corner, all the way from the South Pole. He’s as cold as his icy homeland. Give it up for Iklak!”

The waterbending master was a thin, wiry man. His face was covered in traditional Water Tribe war paint. Iklak carried a tiger-seal skin pouch at his waist, from which he bent out a long tentacle of water to salute the crowd.

“In this corner, from beautiful Ember Island. He really knows how to turn up the heat. Please welcome Hajime!”

The firebender was large and muscular. He wore nothing from the waist up, so Jinyi could see his well-defined abdominal muscles suck in before he blew out a jet of flame to the cheers of the crowd.

“Next, you’ve seen him in many matches. He’s the undisputed fan favorite. Put your hands together for Ba Sing Se’s own Hundred-Coin Wai!”

Hundred-Coin Wai got his nickname from the stone disks that he used. Like the currency of the Earth Kingdom, they were circular with a square hole cut in the center (2). But each of these “coins” was the size of a human head. As he stepped onto the platform, the disks flew up behind him in a helix before settling gently to the floor of the ring.

“And finally, she may be new to this arena, but she’s certainly made a big impact. Let’s hear it for Jinyi!”

Now that it was her turn to step onto the _leitai_ , Jinyi realized just how high off the ground it was, about one and a half times her own height. She bounced off the padding at the base of the platform, vaulted over the top, and landed gracefully in a crouch. Jinyi didn’t have any flashy bending techniques to show off to the crowd with, so she settled instead for a simple salute with a clenched fist against an open palm. 

“Jinyi will be competing against the bending masters for the grand prize: three hundred silver coins,” called the announcer. “Will her skill and agility win the day, or will she be overwhelmed by the masters’ elemental attacks? Folks, this is a show you can only see in this arena.”

The announcer’s boast was more than empty marketing. Three benders against one small non-bender? It was madness. It would never be allowed in any of the city’s officially sanctioned fighting rings. But this seedy underground arena in the Lower Ring was far from official. Jinyi had fought benders in this arena before and won every match. She was less confident that she could take on three at once. The promise of three hundred silver coins had a way of overriding such reservations, however. 

“Fighters, get ready,” said the announcer.

Jinyi crouched, readying herself to move quickly. The gong sounded and she leapt forward with all her might. Earth coin, water whip, and fireball all collided in the spot she had occupied a mere second before. Jinyi jumped, ducked, and weaved as more missiles flew at her. In zig-zagging leaps and bounds, she approached her first target, the firebender Hajime. 

She landed slightly to his left. Hajime cocked his right arm to throw a fire fist, but Jinyi preempted the blow with a punch of her own (3), the extended knuckle of her index finger hitting the pressure point on Hajime’s bicep. The arm batted harmlessly against Jinyi’s shoulder, limp and flameless (4). For a split second, Jinyi could see the shock in Hajime’s eyes. Jinyi had fought countless benders before. Every one of them reacted the same way when they found the abilities they’d spent so long developing instantly neutralized. 

She couldn’t stay long. Already, she could hear the flutter of a flying disk and the sloshing of water behind her. With a sidestep and a twist, Jinyi moved behind Hajime and slammed her elbow into the small of his back. Hajime grunted and stepped forward, right into the incoming attacks. A stone disk hit him in the gut, and a ball of ice broke across his face, throwing him back towards Jinyi again. She stopped him with the palm of one hand and formed a crane’s beak with the other, pressing the thumb and fingers together (5). She reached up and struck Hajime in the shoulder, paralyzing his left arm. The firebender spun around, his chest puffed up with air and his eyes full of rage. Jinyi ducked as a cone of flame spewed out from his mouth. The heat was so intense that she could feel it on her scalp. She pushed up with her legs and thrust the base of her palm into Hajime’s chin in a devastating uppercut. The firebender’s jaw slammed shut with a sickening clack, and he fell senseless to the wooden floor of the _leitai_. Jinyi hoped for his sake that he hadn’t been sticking out his tongue. 

Jinyi started moving again. She’d hoped to use Hajime as a human shield for a while longer. With him down, closing in on her other opponents would be harder. She barely managed to dodge one of Iklak’s water whips, the droplets on the end glancing across her face like ocean spray. Wai tossed another disk at her. Jinyi stepped to the side, but as it passed, she managed to catch it by the edge. Jinyi spun with the captured projectile and tossed it at Iklak. The waterbender easily knocked it aside, but the distraction was all Jinyi needed to close the distance.

Jinyi’s fist surged forward, but just before it met Iklak’s face, something cold and damp closed around her wrist and pulled her upwards. As Iklak’s watery lasso lifted her above his head, Jinyi desperately wrapped her legs around Iklak’s neck. 

The waterbender shouted his frustration into Jinyi’s belly, his cries muffled by her thick cotton shirt. Jinyi gasped in pain as the water lasso tugged at her hyperextended arm, threatening to pull the joints out of their sockets. She grabbed her forearm with her free hand and pulled the arm back to a less painful angle. Iklak twisted around to face the edge of the _leitai_ and tried pulling in the opposite direction. Jinyi could see Wai preparing to throw another disk, the oversized coin hovering above his hand. She was trapped now. Loosen her leg lock on Iklak, and he’d toss her off the _leitai_. But stay put and Wai’s projectile would almost certainly knock her out. There was only one way to escape, and she’d have to time things perfectly.

Wai swung his arm and the stone coin sailed across the platform. Jinyi pulled down with her arms and abdomen. The disk barely missed her head and instead cut through the water, spraying it over her head and shoulders. Her hand now free from Iklak’s watery grip, Jinyi doubled over backward and delivered three quick strikes to his spine before releasing her leg lock and flipping back onto her feet. Iklak slumped to the floor, his body completely limp. 

On the other side of the _leitai_ , Wai bent some earth coins into a ring around himself. He stomped his foot and the coins shattered into many pieces. Wai brought the pieces inward and formed them into a suit of armor that covered every part of his body except for his eyes.

Jinyi slid cautiously toward Wai, and he came to the center of the _leitai_ to meet her. She considered her next move. Wai’s rocky armor made it impossible for her to knock him out or chi block him. Her only hope of winning was to either unbalance him and push him off the _leitai_ or force him into a submission. Wai lunged at her with his rock-covered fist. She ducked under the punch and tried to sweep his leg, but the earthbender’s low stance could not be broken so easily. Jinyi jumped to the side as Wai’s fist came down like a hammer trying to smash her head. She grabbed his wrist with one hand and pushed his elbow with the other, twisting his arm into an elbow lock (6). Wai grunted in pain, but then the earthen armor around his arm bulged outward, pushing Jinyi’s hands away. Jinyi jumped back as Wai’s armor reformed and he swung at her with another hammerfist. 

Jinyi and Wai circled each other just outside of striking range. They were at a stalemate now, neither having a technique that could defeat the other. Jinyi could hear the crowd loudly expressing their impatience. Her left eye twitched as a bead of Iklak’s water dripped from her hair and ran down her face. She snorted in frustration and pulled one hand back, making sure to keep the other one out in front of her and her good eye trained on Wai. As she wiped the water away, she was struck by an idea.

Jinyi moved into range of Wai’s arms, baiting him to attack her. Wai took the bait, throwing a straight punch. Jinyi pushed the blow aside and stepped off Wai’s center line (7). As he turned his head to face her, Jinyi brushed her hand across her head, collecting a few drops of water, and flicked them at the one unprotected part of Wai’s body: his eyes.

Wai flinched and turned his head away. He instinctively brought up a hand to wipe away the water, but his own earth armor was blocking the way. No longer having to worry about a counterattack, Jinyi moved up close to Wai and positioned herself for maximum leverage. She shoved him, her waist twisting to lend power to her arms. The earthbender staggered backward, completely thrown off balance. There were still quite a few paces to go until the edge of the _leitai_ , though. 

Jinyi pressed the attack, not letting up to allow Wai to regain his balance. She stepped forward and delivered a powerful side kick to Wai’s chest. The earthen armor softened the blow, but it pushed Wai closer to the edge. She leapt up and landed a flying kick to Wai’s head. The earthbender stepped back in a daze. His back foot was now right next to the edge. It was almost over now, just one more. Jinyi stepped up and launched a final front kick. A feeling of triumph surged within her as her foot connected and Wai began to pitch backward, but triumph turned to horror when she realized Wai had managed to grab onto her leg.

The earthbender fell from the platform, dragging Jinyi with him. She twisted in the air, making a last-ditch attempt to grab onto the ledge. But the _leitai_ offered no purchase for her fingertips, and Wai’s earthen suit made him too heavy. The two landed heavily on the pads below.

Jinyi pushed herself back onto her feet. The arena was as quiet as the caves of the Kolau mountains, the crowd stunned into silence by the unexpected turn of events. Wai stood up as well, shedding his earthen armor. He wiped the remaining water from his face and looked at Jinyi.

“Huh,” she said. “Well, now who gets the money?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone, zhemao here. Hope you’ve all enjoyed this first installment of Secrets and Daggers, co-written by myself and [TsunColoredPuppeteer](https://www.fanfiction.net/~tsuncoloredpuppeteer) and edited by [lalalandiki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalalandiki/pseuds/lalalandiki). This is my first time writing Avatar fan-fiction and fan-fiction in general. Like many others, I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time this year when it was re-released on NetFlix. I fell in love with its storytelling, characters, and Asian-inspired setting, which reminded me so much of the Chinese legends and classic _wuxia_ (Chinese martial arts fantasy) fiction I consumed as a kid. I later read the excellent Kyoshi novels by F.C. Yee, which takes the _wuxia_ elements of Avatar and dials it up to 11. This work is based on an event referenced in those books but features our own original characters, rather than the ones in the novels. 
> 
> One of the great delights of the Kyoshi novels for Asian history buffs and _wuxia_ fanatics like us is the copious amount of references to historical events, mythology, traditional martial arts, and classic _wuxia_ fiction. We hope to continue that tradition in this series by drawing upon our own collective knowledge of East Asian history and culture. For those that share our fascination with these subjects, we will be including explanations of these references in these ending notes. Look for the parenthetical numbers in the chapters to see what these refer to.
> 
>   1. 擂台 Readers of Rise of Kyoshi will recognize this from Rangi’s match with a _daofei_ and Kyoshi’s duel with Xu Ping An. These are the traditional stages for Chinese martial arts matches. _Leitai_ fights feature heavily in _wuxia_ stories. Today, they are used in the modern Chinese kickboxing sport known as _sanda_.
>   2. These are like the earth disks used in Legend of Korra’s pro-bending. Metal coins with a square hole in them date back to 350 BC in the Zhou Dynasty. The holes made it convenient to carry the coins around by looping a string through them.
>   3. Preempting the opponent’s attack with your own attack is a characteristic feature of the Chinese martial art Wing Chun and its derivative, Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. Wing Chun is our primary influence for Jinyi’s fighting style, along with White Crane Kung Fu. Both systems were invented by women and designed to allow women (and smaller men) to overcome larger, stronger opponents.
>   4. Chi-blocking in Avatar is based on the pressure point striking techniques in Chinese martial arts known as _dianxue_ in Mandarin or _dim mak_ in Cantonese. In _wuxia_ fiction, these techniques are taken to fantastical levels, with pinpoint attacks capable of paralyzing victims or even stopping their hearts. The extended knuckle fists are, of course, the ones used by Ty Lee in the TV series and feature in some styles of Chinese Kung Fu and Okinawan Karate.
>   5. Crane beaks are another one of the strikes Ty Lee uses in the TV series. They are also used in many forms of Kung Fu.
>   6. Joint-locking techniques are called _qin na_ in Chinese. Some styles, like White Crane, make more extensive use of them than others.
>   7. The concept of the center line is used throughout Chinese martial arts but is a special focus of Wing Chun.
> 



	2. Chapter 2

An illegal fighting ring was no place for a young gentleman. It suited his giant companion fine. In fact, his companion seemed to swim through the underworld crowd like a fish, albeit, an Elephant Koi-sized one. His companion radiated an aura of casual violence that made him fit right in. But for the Young Gentleman? If not for the threatening presence of his companion, he would have attracted many more unwelcoming glances.

Technically, he was a guest of honor. No thanks to him; it was another favor of his giant companion’s underworld background. But the Young Gentleman was not stupid. He could tell from the furtive glances and whispering as he passed through the seats of the ring that he was not welcome here.

“Gao!” (1) exclaimed a short, pot-bellied man pushing the end of middle age. He greeted the Young Gentleman’s companion affably.

“Sir Liu.” His companion bowed respectfully, albeit stiffly, in response. Despite the deepness of his bow, this ‘Sir Liu’ wouldn’t have been able to reach his chin if he stood on his tiptoes.

“ _Aiya_ (2), you don’t need to greet me in such a formal way. We’ve known each other for such a long time. Call me Elder Brother Liu!” (3) 

The Young Gentleman watched as the two older men engaged in polite small talk. But from the casual way Sir Liu had greeted Gao and the formal way he had been greeted back, it was obvious that a power disparity existed between the two men.

The Young Gentleman had done his research before coming here. He knew who his companion had brought him to meet. Pot-Bellied Liu, the man with an iron grip on every fighting ring in the Siuma (4) district of Ba Sing Se’s Lower Ring, as well as the one with the best contacts in the neighborhood’s bending schools and security agencies. The perfect man for what he was looking for. But he was a stranger. He would have to wait until he was introduced.

“And who is this young man you have accompanying you, eh?” Sir Liu suddenly asked, breaking away from his small talk to get to the main reason they were meeting tonight.

“Ah. This is my nephew, Yan.” Gao introduced him, patting him reassuringly on the back. That was the cue they had agreed on for when it would be appropriate for him to speak.

The Young Gentleman bowed respectfully, taking care to follow the example of his companion. “Greetings, Sir Liu. My humble name is Yan (5). Uncle Gao has told me many stories of the times when you generously aided him in the past.”

“Ha! Many stories eh?” Sir Liu gave an uproarious laugh, “I suppose I did, didn’t I? Well, you’re a bit on the uptight side, but any young man that’s a nephew of Brother Gao is one I approve of. Call me your Uncle Liu. If you need any help in this neighborhood, Uncle Liu will help you out. Ahahaha!”

“Many thanks then, _Uncle_ Liu.” Yan knew the offer was just a formality. You didn’t achieve any level of power in life by handing out favors to every young man you met. But all the same, he nodded and smiled obligingly in response to Sir Liu’s empty words.

“I was meaning to ask. Gao, what exactly is your relation to young Yan? Your Elder Brother knows he isn’t really your nephew. So what is he? Partner? Son of a friend? … Your own bastard son? Ahahaha!”

Gao scratched the back of his head. “Well, y’see, Yan is … my boss.”

“Boss?” For a second, Sir Liu was caught off-guard. But just as suddenly, a predatory grin sprouted over his face. Eyes glinting, he scanned Yan as if weighing how much gold he could squeeze out of him. “So he’s the client you were talking about? He looks nothing like the silkpants (6) you made him sound like … Ah, but Sir Yan, you look so distinguished, so very distinguished …”

Perhaps another gentleman of good moral character would have been disgusted by the way Sir Liu flipped from a facade of familial warmth to mercantile flattery. But Yan couldn’t help but smile slightly in amusement. Who did Sir Liu think he was fooling?

“Well, I hope I’m distinguished enough to be worthy of your help Uncle Liu,” Yan offhandedly flattered back. Except his flattery sounded much more genuine.

“I’ll help any friend of Brother Gao,” Sir Liu reassured Yan. “But what am I doing? This is nowhere to be talking business. Come, come! Sit with me in the box!”

Sir Liu’s box was nothing more than an alcove cut into the crude stairs that served as seats to the underground ring. In this alcove were several battered wooden chairs that may as well have been ornate thrones compared to what the average spectator was using. An awning from a market stall served as a grand canopy.

“Sit! Sit! Don’t hold back!” Sir Liu urged them, graciously showing Yan to a chair. Now that Yan was a customer to him, he was shown every courtesy.

“You elbow leeches! Can’t you see we have guests? Bring some damn refreshments” Sir Liu loudly swore at a scarred man attending him who had a _dao_ (7) hanging from his belt. Here in the underworld, even the attendants were armed.

“It would be hard to discuss important matters without tea,” Yan remarked casually, before being handed a small, ceramic cup. He glanced at the clear liquid in the cup. “This is some tea ...”

“Indeed,” Gao guffawed, downing his cup of “tea” in one gulp. “Brother Liu only serves the best wine (8) at gatherings.”

Yan sipped tentatively at the warm (9) liquid in his cup before nearly coughing it right back up. It was a rough and crude drink. He could almost taste the grains from the stale barley or millet that the drink had almost certainly been brewed from.

If Sir Liu saw Yan’s unappreciative expression, he gave no sign of it. “So … Brother Gao told me a little about what you’re looking for. You’re looking to find some _help_ , aren’t you?”

“I wish to hire a man. Similar to a retainer, but only for a limited term.”

“Hired muscle,” Sir Liu offered.

“Precisely,” Yan agreed.

“Many clients come to me for similar reasons.” Sir Liu boasted, his chest puffing up with pride, “I’m the whole Siuma district’s Uncle, and the Brother of the heads of every bending school and security agency (10) in the neighborhood! I make the introductions, you pay me!”

“Uncle Gao told me as much,” Yan nodded.

The roar of the crowd briefly drew their attention as four fighters stepped onto the _Leitai_ below.

“If you’re looking for hired muscle, then you’re in luck!” Sir Liu shouted over the din of the crowd. “We’re having an exhibition match tonight with some of the best benders in the district.”

Yan looked down into the ring. The four contestants seemed to correspond to the four elements: a waterbender who wielded a fluid, snakelike whip; an earthbender around whom orbited a swarm of earthen projectiles; a firebender who spewed flames with every crisp punch and kick; and … a nonbender?

Despite not displaying any bending abilities, she danced amongst the other fighters with so much grace that Yan almost mistook her for an airbender. She was tiny. Even the shortest of her opponents, the waterbender, seemed to tower over her. She would have been indistinguishable from any other pretty farm girl around the Earth Kingdom. That is, if not for her incredible aggression. Yan watched as she weaved and dodged through the firebender’s flurry of attacks to launch a single precise light jab that left her opponent’s arm limp.

“Chi blocking,” Yan exclaimed in astonishment. He had heard of such techniques before, although he had never seen them in action.

“Hey, that girl’s pretty good!” Gao remarked admiringly.

“Little Shirshu Jinyi?” Sir Liu asked. “She’s built quite a reputation as a bounty hunter. I’ve heard she was a master chi blocker, but still … I was surprised when she actually approached me to compete against the best benders in the district, let alone three at the same time.”

“It’s her ...” Yan murmured, his eyes locked on the woman in the _Leitai_ far below him. His eyes filled with certainty. “It has to be her!”

“What’s that?” Gao leaned over.

“That girl, Little Shirshu Jinyi, she’s the one I want to hire.”

Gao glanced over at Sir Liu.

Sir Liu sighed. “Unfortunately, Little Shirshu is a drifter and a newcomer to Siuma District. She’s not a member of any bending school or security agency I’m on good terms with either. I wouldn’t be able to introduce you. However, the coming match will feature some master benders I know _personally_ , should you wait …”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve already made up my mind,” Yan declared. “That woman has all the skills I am looking for.”

Gao gave an apologetic look to Sir Liu.

“Fine,” Sir Liu grumbled, abandoning any cordiality with the loss of a chance to do business. “But you’re still giving me the advance you promised!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   1. Gao, 高, literally means “tall”. 
>   2. 哎呀 An ubiquitous interjection. Depending on context, it can express pain, surprise, disappointment, excitement, or other emotions.
>   3. In Asian cultures, addressing someone as family is a sign of familiarity, albeit not affection, or even necessarily that you regard them as family. One is just as likely to call the barber they frequent “Brother” or “Uncle” as their own brother or uncle.
>   4. 燒馬 literally means burned horse, or barbecued horse. One must be in dire straits to consider eating such a valuable animal.
>   5. Yan, 岩, literally means “rock”.
>   6. A term referring to spoiled, rich kids.
>   7. 刀 A very simple character with many different translations. Saber, broadsword, machete, knife. The only thing constant among them is that they have only a single sharpened edge. In this usage, the one hanging at the attendant’s side is a saber. Such sabers were considered lower-class weapons since they required less training to use properly.
>   8. 酒 is usually translated as wine, but really refers to any alcoholic beverage. The wine that is served to Gao and Yan is 黄酒, or “yellow wine”. An undistilled grain alcohol, as well as the most common one historically, “yellow wine” came in a large number of varieties with varying levels of quality.
>   9. In East Asian cultures, alcohol is traditionally served warm.
>   10. Security agencies or _biaoju_ are a common trope in _wuxia_ fiction. These professional guardsmen are often hired to protect shipments of money or precious cargo from robbers.
> 



	3. Chapter 3

To walk around the Siuma District on a summer night was to have all one’s senses assailed at once. Paper lanterns hung from every doorway and balcony, illuminating the darkness with their green and yellow glows. Street performers played raucous melodies and hawkers stridently advertised their wares. A hundred fragrances wafted from the food stalls: the yeasty notes of steamed buns, the smoky odor of grilled meat skewers, the fruity aroma of candied haw berries, and much, much more (1). But, most of all, there was the ever-present humidity that hung in the air and clung to everyone and everything.

As Jinyi weaved her way through the press of pedestrians, she self-consciously felt the string of silver coins tucked into her sash. This area was rife with pickpockets. She didn’t want to lose her winnings before she could stash them in the lockbox in her room.

There had been quite some debate after the match ended as to how the prize should be awarded, given that there was no clear victor. Pot-Belly Liu, with his characteristic stinginess, had tried to argue that it should not be given out at all. This proposal was met by unanimous protest from judges and contestants alike. The corpulent owner of the arena was finally forced to agree to a compromise in which Jinyi would take half of the pot and the three benders would each take a sixth. Jinyi was glad that her opponents had been good sports about the whole thing. Many of the competitors she had faced before didn’t take well to the humiliation of being bested by a woman half their size who couldn’t even bend. But Hajime, Iklak, and Wai had all congratulated her and complimented her skill and fighting spirit. They’d even invited her to join them in squandering some of their newly earned silver on the myriad vices Siuma had to offer. Jinyi had politely declined. What she really wanted to do right now was go back to her room and sleep. 

Jinyi soon found herself at her destination, the Jade Peony Teahouse. Her room here was home sweet home, at least for the time being. She stepped through the doorway, which was open to the street in the vain hope of collecting some cooling breeze. Despite its name, the “teahouse” served mostly alcohol at this time of night. Serving girls bustled to and fro, carrying trays laden with earthenware wine bottles and small dishes. In the corner, gamblers played high-stakes Pai Sho, winning and losing small fortunes at the whim of the tiles. A few guests climbed the stairs to the rooms above, where one could spend the night with or without a hired companion. (2)

“Welcome dear guest,” greeted the pretty young hostess. “Where — Oh, it’s you, Jinyi! Welcome back!”

“Hi Shaolan,” said Jinyi. “You don’t have to bother yourself, I’m just heading to my room.”

“Wait, Jinyi.” Shaolan stopped her as she headed for the stairs. “Madam Tsui wants to speak with you. She said to meet her in the back room.”

“Ugh.” Jinyi pressed a palm to her forehead. An annoying request from the teahouse’s owner was the last thing she needed right now. But it was because of running various “errands” for Madam Tsui that her rent was so low, so she had no choice but to humor her.

“Did she tell you what exactly she wanted me for?” Jinyi asked. “If it’s not urgent, I’d rather she ask me in the morning.”

“It’s not her. She has a guest who asked to meet you,” said Shaolan.

Jinyi cocked her head quizzically. People who wanted to hire her for jobs usually didn’t go through Madam Tsui. They either left a note or approached Jinyi directly.

“Who is this guest?” she asked.

Shaolan looked around and then beckoned Jinyi to come closer with a conspiratorial gesture. Jinyi leaned in so that Shaolan could whisper in her ear.

“Madam’s guest is a rather handsome young gentleman,” she said. “And from the look of his clothes, a quite wealthy one at that. Do you have a secret admirer or something?”

Shaolan giggled, coquettishly covering her mouth with her sleeve, as Jinyi grimaced at the suggestion. Since leaving home at the age of seventeen, Jinyi had never interacted with a man in a romantic way, and she preferred to keep it that way. There was no place for anything like a lover in her life right now.

“I’m going to wash up and change first. If Madam Tsui asks, tell her I’ll be there in a few minutes,” said Jinyi. It was a plausible excuse to delay a possibly unpleasant encounter for a while. The match against the three benders had left her covered in dust, water, and sweat. She filled a basin with water from the pump and brought it to her room. There, she pulled off her high felt boots and took off her heavy cotton shirt and pants. These were the clothes she wore when she was expecting a fight. The fabric was thick enough to offer some protection from glancing blows, but not so heavy that it would weigh her down, and their dark grey color helped camouflage her when stealth was required. But, unfortunately, it was all rather uncomfortable to wear in the summertime. 

Jinyi took off her underclothes as well — linen shorts and chest wrap (3) that were now damp with sweat — then took a towel and dipped it into the basin of water. She wrung out the excess and wiped down her body, taking extra care on the left side where her scar was. Time had lessened the pain of this old burn wound, but the pink scar tissue, which extended from her hip to just above her knee, still felt tender at times. 

Once clean, she changed into a fresh pair of shorts and a _yem_ , a halter-top undershirt tied in the back with string. Over these went her casual clothes: a pair of loose-fitting light green trousers and a darker green short-sleeve _ao dai_ , a long, dress-like tunic that went down past her knees and had slits cut out at the sides (4). A mirror in the bedroom allowed Jinyi to check that she was presentable. She didn’t really care that much about her appearance and certainly wasn’t looking to impress the young man Shaolan mentioned. But Madam Tsui often scolded her for her unladylike manner of dressing, so she thought she’d save herself from getting an earful this time. Once she was satisfied that her tunic was on straight and any loose strands of hair were tucked away, Jinyi put on a pair of cloth slippers and went back downstairs.

Like many “teahouses” in Siuma, the Jade Peony had a dining room in the back of the house that could be reserved for private parties. Madam Tsui sat at the big round table with two guests. The older of the two men was truly a giant. He was a little more than a head above Jinyi, even though he was sitting down. His long bushy beard hid a broad face that was flushed as scarlet as a Fire National’s clothes (5). He was enthusiastically tossing back cupfuls of wine. The small cup looked almost like a thimble in his enormous hand. The younger man had a small cup in his hand as well, from which he sipped more measuredly. He was much smaller and thinner than his companion, and whereas the older man wore plain cotton clothes like Jinyi, the young man wore fine silk robes that were clearly out of place here in the Lower Ring. He was facing away from the door, speaking to Madam Tsui in flirtatious tones. The older lady tittered and batted softly at his arm. Jinyi wasn’t sure whether this was calculated flattery or genuine attraction on the young man’s part. Madam Tsui was undoubtedly past her prime but was still quite a beautiful woman. In her youth, she had been the most popular courtesan in Siuma, a position she had wisely used to save up to buy the Jade Peony. Jinyi knocked lightly on the open door to get their attention.

When the young man turned to look at her, Jinyi could see that Shaolan had been right, he was indeed incredibly handsome. He had a long, slender face that ended in a pointed chin; smooth, unblemished skin; and delicate, almost feminine features. The man smiled, and his bright green eyes lit up like well-polished jade. 

“Greetings,” he said, saluting her with fist in palm. “You must be Jinyi. I happened to see your match tonight. I’ve heard they call you the Little Shirshu.”

Jinyi frowned. People in Siuma had given her this nickname shortly after she started working here, but she’d never liked it. She wasn’t sure whether it was because of the comparison to a ravenous beast of legend or because it emphasized her small stature.

“Just Jinyi is fine,” she said, curtly. “And what is your honorable name, sir?”

“Jinyi, this is Young Master Yan,” said Madam Tsui. “He came to me and asked me to introduce him to you. Why don’t you have a seat with us?”

“A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Yan,” Jinyi bowed and pulled out a chair from the round table to sit across from the others.

“This is my associate, Uncle Gao,” said Yan.

“Nice to meet you, Sir Gao,” said Jinyi.

“A pleasure to meet you too, Young Lady. Care for a drink?” asked Gao, offering the porcelain bottle. “It’s good stuff, best I’ve tasted in a while.”

“No, I’m fine, thanks,” said Jinyi.

“Suit yourself,” said Gao, greedily pouring some for himself instead. Given his size and fondness for the drink, Jinyi was surprised he didn’t just drain the whole bottle.

“You know, I’ve never seen Jinyi drink wine,” said Madam Tsui with a girlish giggle unbefitting her age. “Such a well-behaved girl.”

The way she said it seemed more like an insult than a compliment, but Jinyi paid it no mind.

“So what did you want to see me for, Young Master?” asked Jinyi. Madam Tsui gave her a scandalized look. It was uncouth to jump to business so quickly, but Jinyi wasn’t in the mood for empty pleasantries right now.

“Jinyi! How can you —” Madam Tsui began to protest.

“It’s fine, Madam Tsui,” said Yan, raising his hand to calm her before turning to Jinyi. “If you wish that we be forward, then let us be forward with each other ...”

Yan leaned forward dramatically, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin on the knuckles of one hand.

“I wish for you to join my household,” he said, a winning smile on his face.

Jinyi’s own face twisted in disgust. She wasn’t new to getting outrageous propositions from men who’d just met her, but there was something about the way he’d said it, as if it was so obvious that she should accept, that really rankled her. 

“Go ask your mother instead, you son of a hog-monkey,” said Jinyi, angrily pushing her chair back and standing up. “I’m not one of Madam Tsui’s entertaining girls. I’m not interested in being some rich man’s plaything. If this is what you want, then I guess we’re done here.”

“Jinyi!” cried Madam Tsui, her face white with absolute mortification. There was nothing worse in her eyes than directly turning down a gentleman’s request, especially in such profane terms. All the while, Yan kept his slight smile, seemingly undisturbed by Jinyi’s harsh rejection. If anything, he looked amused and slightly intrigued by it.

Gao broke the mood with a bellowing laugh. He slapped Yan good-naturedly on the back so hard that the young man almost knocked his head on the table. 

“Young Master, aren’t you being a bit too mischievous?” he said. “You seem to have given the young lady the wrong idea.”

“Just like the merchant’s daughter in Gaoling,” Yan sighed, before turning back to Jinyi. “I apologize for any misunderstandings I may have caused. Though I’m sure many men would desire you in such a way, that is the farthest reason from why I wish for you to join my retinue.”

He sat back and drank some wine before clearing his throat to continue.

“It’s not a concubine I’m looking for, but a bodyguard,” he said. “When I saw you fight in the arena, I knew you would be perfect for the job, and Madam Tsui has told me you are quite reliable.” 

Jinyi sat back down but raised a puzzled eyebrow at the young man.

“Tossing out unruly drunks and tracking down deadbeat gamblers is quite a bit different from being a bodyguard,” said Jinyi. “Besides, isn’t that what you have Gao for?”

“An astute observation,” said Yan. “Gao is indeed quite skilled, but he alone can’t handle the threat I’m facing. I’ll be upfront with you, so I hope you can be discreet. Someone is hiring assassins to kill me.”

“And why would this someone want one as good-natured as the Young Master dead?” Jinyi asked, sarcastically.

“Let’s say it’s a … family dispute over a question of inheritance,” said Yan. “While I trust that Gao can certainly fend off any direct attacks upon my person, I need someone to watch the rooftops and shadows. A hidden blade. ‘Insurance’, if you will.”

“I don’t know,” said Jinyi. “This isn’t the kind of gig I usually do.”

“I am willing to compensate you quite handsomely, far more than what you’re earning from Uncle Liu’s arena,” said Yan. “Additionally, you would live with us in my residence in the Upper Ring. It’s quite modest for the area, but surely a room in an Upper Ring manor is better than your quarters here. No offense to Madam Tsui, of course.”

“None taken, Young Master Yan,” said Madam Tsui. “How can my humble inn compare to the Upper Ring? Why they’re as different as the spirit world and the mortal world. I think it’s a great opportunity for you, Jinyi, though I’d be sad to see you go.”

Jinyi shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was used to taking short-term jobs and disliked the idea of being tied down to a single household, but Yan’s offer was certainly attractive, even if the man himself was rather infuriating. It was the look on Gao’s face that finally convinced her. His dark, bloodshot eyes looked at her expectantly like a young sky bison who had just chosen its Air Nomad partner. 

“Okay, I’ll do it,” said Jinyi. “When would I start?”

“Excellent. Pack your things tonight. Gao and I will return in the morning and take you to get your transit papers for the Upper Ring. I look forward to working with you, Jinyi,” said Yan, before he gave that slight smile of his. “I hope you will treat me well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   1. The description of Siuma is based on night markets, which are quite popular throughout East and Southeast Asia. The specific foods mentioned are common in Northeastern China and especially in the cuisine of Beijing, on which Ba Sing Se is based.
>   2. These dens of ill repute are another fixture of _wuxia_ fiction. One can be seen at the beginning of the Zhang Yimou film House of the Flying Daggers. The name of the establishment in the film, the Peony Pavilion, was the inspiration for naming ours the Jade Peony.
>   3. You’ll remember that Katara wears something like this in the show. Chest wraps are called _sarashi_ in Japanese and are worn by women underneath kimonos. They were also worn around the belly by samurai as an extra layer of protection.
>   4. The _yem_ and _ao dai_ are both traditional Vietnamese clothes.
>   5. Many people of East Asian descent experience alcohol flush reaction (AFR), which is sometimes called Asian flush or Asian glow. Gao’s appearance is an allusion to the famous general Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms period who is depicted as having a long beard and red face.
> 



	4. Chapter 4

Just as promised, the young gentleman that had so unexpectedly visited her the night before returned in the morning, accompanied by Gao. He arrived in an ornamented ostrich-horse-drawn carriage like the kind Jinyi would think an upper-ring gentleman really _would_ ride. Not that Jinyi had thought Yan was lying, but it was still strange to see an obviously upper-class carriage in the lower ring.

 _He’s probably just a merchant’s son fighting with his brothers over his father’s will now that the old man kicked the bucket._ Jinyi thought to herself, _Spoiled little prince who’s never worked in his life until now. Probably overreacting to a threat Big Brother made._

“I see you’re already prepared to leave,” Yan commented airily as he stepped out of the carriage. He nodded at the large bundle by Jinyi’s feet that contained all her worldly possessions.

“Packing didn’t take long.” Jinyi said curtly, “Shall we get going, then?”

Yan sighed. “Well, much as I’d like to, that’s not how things work in the Upper Ring. We still have to go over your transit papers, as well as an official letter of employment. Perhaps we could do so in the inn you’ve been staying in.”

Jinyi snorted. She would never get used to polite Ba Sing Se society’s obsession with paperwork. As if a piece of paper and some ink could add legitimacy to an agreement already made.

“I could use a drink too.” rasped Gao. “My throat is parched.”

Unlike Yan, Gao had walked alongside the carriage on its journey through the Lower Ring’s dusty, winding streets. Retainers didn’t get to ride in the master’s carriage — not that the enormous swordsman would have fit anyways.

“Welcome dear guests … Oh, it’s the handsome young master from yesterday!” Shaolan exclaimed as the three entered the Jade Peony.

Yan bowed graciously in response. “Your words honor me, my dear. And you look just as beautiful as you did last night … although perhaps a hair more tired. Have you been getting enough sleep?”

Shaolan giggled flirtatiously. “My, you’re quite the charmer. And yes, morning shifts are quite hard … But aren’t you already spoken for today?”

“It isn’t like that, you … you dumb broad!” Jinyi fumed. If she hadn’t liked Shaolan so much, she wouldn’t have minced her words.

Giggling lightly, Shaolan led Yan and Jinyi to an empty table while Gao made his way to the bar.

“Excuse me, Miss, could you get a thirsty man a flask of wine?” He asked a waitress cleaning the obviously closed bar.

“It’s quite early in the morning for wine,” she commented. At this time of day, the Jade Peony actually functioned as a normal teahouse. The tables held teapots, not wine bottles, and the Pai Sho players were all old men and women passing the time rather than serious gamblers

“I’ll pay you extra,” Gao said, fumbling with the drawstrings of a comically tiny purse before dropping a few silver pieces onto the counter.

Meanwhile, Yan had spread out a calligraphy set on the rough wooden table, as well as three forms. Likewise, Jinyi pulled her two daggers out of her belt and dropped them on the table within easy reach.

“Your employment contract.” Yan passed Jinyi a form, which she began to look over. Unlike most Siuma residents, Jinyi could read and write fairly well, but it had been a while since she’d had to read anything this dense.

“Everything is already in order,” Yan told her. Jinyi ignored him and kept reading. She didn’t have much reason to trust the young man. Who knew what strange clauses he might bury in the bureaucratic language of the contract.

While she was reading, Yan stared in curiosity at her two daggers

“May I?” he asked, reaching for them before pausing, his hand hovering over them.

“Look all you want,” Jinyi told him, still engrossed in the document.

Yan picked up the first of the daggers, sliding it out of its sheath. It had a long, straight, single-edged blade that rounded off to a sharp, but robust tip.

“Interesting guard design,” Yan remarked. The arms of the dagger’s crossguard bent in opposite directions, like an earthbender’s arms in the fundamental earthbending stance. One quillon curved downwards in front of the hilt while the other curved upwards to run parallel to the back of the blade. (1)

“The front protects the knuckles. The back is used to trap the opponent’s weapon,” Jinyi explained.

“I see,” Yan murmured interestedly before picking up the second dagger. “This one’s … a lot heavier!”

The other weapon did not have a sheath, which Yan had found odd. But now that it was in his hand, he realized why. It looked like a dagger from a distance, but it was really a small metal cudgel. The heavy steel bar tapered slightly before ending in a rounded tip. The crossguard curved upwards on either side to form two smaller prongs, giving the weapon the appearance of a trident head.

“What is this?” asked Yan.

“A _sai_ ,” Jinyi replied. “Very useful for parrying and trapping. With a guard like that, I can trap a blade from any angle. It can be used for non-lethal strikes as well.” (2)

“Fascinating,” Yan said, sheathing the dagger and handing both weapons back to Jinyi in exchange for the legal forms.

“I just need to fill out your name in some places.”

“Why aren’t I the one filling it out?” Jinyi asked.

“I don’t mean to offend, but I’m not sure your calligraphy would be fit for an official legal document,” Yan politely pointed out.

As much as it irked her, Jinyi had to admit that he was right. In the underworld, many contracts were by verbal agreement only. She usually didn’t have to deal with this.

Yan tutted as he wet his ink brush, poring over the parts of the document that needed amending. “What characters are your name spelled with?”

“Jin as in ‘gold’ and Yi as in ‘joy’.” (3)

“That’s a beautiful name,” Yan said, smiling.

“Thanks,” Jinyi said tepidly. She wasn’t in the mood for receiving empty compliments from princelings.

“No, it’s quite sophisticated,” Yan insisted, “Far more than I would expect from a commoner girl ... no offense, of course. It’s a name a scholarly family would choose. Did someone think of that way of writing it for you?”

“That’s no business of yours,” Jinyi growled, giving Yan an icy stare. The young man raised his hands apologetically before busying himself with completing the form.

“In that case, all that’s left for you is to sign these forms yourself,” Yan announced, handing Jinyi the brush. Jinyi wrote her name at the bottom of the page in short, tidy strokes. It was entirely in opposition to the elaborate script that made up the rest of the form.

“What are you looking at?” asked Jinyi as Yan leaned over the page to watch her write. “Is my penmanship not good enough for your document?”

“No, it’s quite exquisite, although there’s a singular quality to it,” said Yan. “I’ve seen the calligraphy of master swordsmen before, and your calligraphy is quite similar. Only, the strokes are much shorter …” (4)

“Well you can ogle it when I’m done,” Jinyi said. She would never reveal it to Yan, but she was actually somewhat pleased with his remarks. No one had complimented her calligraphy in such a way before.

Just as Jinyi was above to make the last stroke, three rough-looking men carrying weapons stepped in through the door.

“M-may I help you, gentlemen?” Shaolan started to greet them timidly before she was shoved to one side.

“Oi!” The leader of the three, a man with a shaved head and a scar across his cheek, stepped out of the group, slamming his sheathed _dao_ into the wooden floor. “Is there a man named Yan among you?”

“I am Yan,” Yan announced, standing up. “And what business do you gentlemen have with me?”

The leader smiled before raising his arm. Immediately, another group of half a dozen people entered the inn. Then another. And then another. Very quickly, half of the teahouse was filled by armed thugs.

“Looks like this isn’t your lucky day, kid. The Red Tigerdillo Gang will be taking your head today!” He roared, drawing his _dao_. His subordinates followed suit, hooting and pounding their weapons against the floor.

“Not so fast!” Gao boomed, standing up and slamming his foot down into an earthbending stance so hard that the floor shook. “You dare to threaten my master’s life? Do you want to die?”

Gao swung his arms above his head in a wide arc, sending the heavy stone pai sho tables on the far side of the room flying at the densely packed crowd of ruffians. But out of the crowd stepped a man in a green cloak. He punched out with both fists, shattering the pai sho tables in midair.

The man threw back his cloak. From under it, coin-sized stone disks flew up before orbiting around the man in two perpendicular rings. “I am Hundred-Coin Wai, champion of the Siuma District’s fighting rings. I will be your opponent, old man!”

“Arrogant pup!” Gao spat, drawing a six-foot-long _dadao_ that hung at his side (5). It was a heavy blade with a spine as thick as the side of a palm and easily capable of splitting mail and severing heads. Most warriors wouldn’t have been able to lift it with two hands. Gao swung it easily with one.

“You’re an earthbender,” mocked Hundred-Coin Wai. “Why are you waving around that glorified kitchen knife? Why don’t you earthbend?”

With a flick of his hands, several of his coins knapped themselves into arrowheads before flying at Gao’s face. Gao snorted, shattering three out of them out of the air with a contemptuous swing of his _dadao_ before catching the fourth one out of the air. The razor-sharp stone crumbled like sand in his clenched fist. Then, Gao stomped the ground with such force that all the dust on the floor flew up … as well as a single one of the deflected flint projectiles. It flew back towards Hundred-Coin Wai.

Wai snorted in amusement at the single tiny projectile approaching him. With a crook of his finger, three of his 96 coins swooped in to intercept … before promptly shattering against Gao’s projectile.

Surprised, Wai crossed his arms, summoning a fish-scale barrier of stone coins. He seemed sure that it would stop the tiny flint arrowhead. But it smashed through the stone barrier, not even dropping in speed as it flew towards his chest.

Panicking, Wai clapped his hands over the projectile. A few drops of blood trickled from between his fingertips. He sighed in relief that the projectile had finally been stopped.

Gao chortled before twisting his foot. Suddenly, a storm of tiny flint fragments exploded from Wai’s clasped hands, slicing his palms and cutting one forefinger clean off. Wai staggered back in pain, clutching at the stone shards stuck in his chest with his ruined hands.

“Your Uncle Gao didn’t have any earth to bend. How kind of you to lend me some,” said Gao as he stomped his foot again, sending the other two arrowheads up into the air. He waved his _dadao_ at Yan and Jinyi. “You two, go! I’ll hold these bastards off!”

“On it,” Jinyi said, grabbing Yan’s hand and dragging him towards the stairs. A handful of ruffians tried to follow them up, only to be cut down by a single swing of Gao’s _dadao_ that broke blades and severed limbs.

As Jinyi and Yan made their escape up the stairs, the sounds of battle receded behind them. There was a brief roar from dozens of people charging at once that disintegrated into screams of pain.

“We need to escape onto the roof —” said Jinyi. She had chosen her room with the express purpose of the window allowing access to the rooftops. “Watch out!”

Jinyi pulled Yan back by the collar as three ruffians emerged from behind a corner with curved daggers in hand. Jinyi’s foot shot out to deliver a swift kick to the side of the first attacker’s knee (6). The man howled as his joint gave way. He toppled into his comrades in the narrow hallway. In a flurry of blows, daggers fell from limp fingers as the gangsters slumped to the floor. Above them stood Jinyi, her hands in a distinctive fist with one knuckle protruding forwards. A phoenix-eye fist (7).

“Incredible,” Yan said breathlessly. Few had ever seen chi blocking up close. His hand rested on a short _jian_ (8) hanging from his belt, where he had reached to draw it, but Jinyi had incapacitated their attackers in the time it had taken for his hand to reach the hilt.

“Quit gawking and keep moving,” snapped Jinyi. “And stay behind me.”

Jinyi wasted no time in pulling Yan through the tight hallways to her room. She kept her senses sharp the entire time. The Red Tigerdillos had been smart enough to station men upstairs. Who knew what other surprises they had hidden?

“My window opens up to a neighboring roof,” Jinyi explained hurriedly. “That’s how we’ll escape, but you’ll have to jump.”

“I see,” Yan nodded, seemingly unperturbed.

“... Aren’t you going to ask how far?”

Yan tilted his head. “Does it matter? It’s our only way out, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right,” confirmed Jinyi. _The little princeling’s braver than I thought_.

Jinyi threw open the window before jumping catlike to the roof of the ramshackle townhouse across the street.

 _Let’s see if he can make it_ …

Yan walked all the way back to the other end of the room and took a deep breath. Then, he sprinted forwards and vaulted over the lip of the window. His feet made contact with the roof and he almost balanced himself.

Almost.

The roof tile his foot was on slipped and dropped to the narrow alleyway below. Yan would surely have followed it down had Jinyi not caught his hand and steadied him.

“My thanks,” said Yan.

“Don’t mention it,” replied Jinyi. They were out of the building now, but the situation still wasn’t safe. Staying low, Jinyi clambered up to the top of the roof to survey her surroundings.

“Watch out!” shouted Yan.

Jinyi dived to the side just in time. An archer was on the other side of the roof. He had been watching the windows from which one could access the rooftops. But there were several, and he had had to choose a position from where he could watch them all. If he had known where Jinyi’s room was, she and Yan would not have made it out the window alive. Even then, it had been a close call. Just as soon as Jinyi had saved Yan’s life, he had saved hers in return.

Cursing at having missed what should have been a clean shot, the archer nocked another arrow and took aim again.

It was his mistake for choosing to be on the same roof Jinyi had exited onto. She sprinted across the roof, rattling tiles in her wake. As the Archer loosed his quarrel, Jinyi pulled out her own dagger hanging from her belt and deflected it in one fluid motion. The archer cursed again. He drew a long dirk and lunged at Jinyi, only for her to trap the blade between the prongs of her dagger. With a deft twist of her wrist, she wrenched the dagger away from him, sending it tumbling out of his hands and into the alleyway. (9) The archer didn’t even have a chance to register surprise at being so easily disarmed. The dirk had scarcely left his hand when Jinyi pulled out her _sai_ and drove the pommel into his chin. The archer fell to the rooftop. Now unconscious, he rolled down the sloped roof until Jinyi put her foot down on his body to stop it.

“Where next?” asked Yan.

Jinyi stared across the vast expanse of the city. They had a few options. They could escape across the rooftops (10) or hide in the dark alleyways below. They could board Yan’s carriage and make a getaway, although now that Jinyi glanced around, she couldn’t see it. Further consideration was rendered moot when down below, a man flew out of the Jade Peony’s door, smashing into the wall of the building across the street. Gao strode out after him, slinging his bloody _dadao_ over his shoulder.

“The battle’s finished!” he shouted upwards. “Come down from the roof already!”

Jinyi jumped down from the roof as agilely as a flying lemur. Yan followed, clambering down more cautiously, but still impressively considering he was two stories up.

They approached Gao, who stood at the entrance of the Jade Peony teahouse, indomitable as a temple guardian statue (11). He rested his _dadao_ against the ground. Even without him leaning on it, the blade was so heavy it sunk a few inches into the hard-packed dirt of the street. A thin trickle of blood poured down from his left side.

“You’re hurt,” commented Yan.

“Let a damn bastard close and he grazed me with his sword. Bad habits from my armor-wearing days.” said Gao, “Good thing he didn’t do more than just prick me.”

Jinyi looked inside the Jade Peony. Inside was a scene of utter destruction. Smashed tables, broken cups, and bodies both dead and still groaning littered the floor. It had clearly been a chaotic battle. It was a good thing Jinyi had gotten Yan out of the room as soon as she did. Even she wouldn’t have been able to predict how a battle like this would unfold.

Slumped against a wall was the broken body of Wan. There was a trickle of blood coming from his mouth and a glazed look in his eyes. He was clearly dead.

“That fool forgot the first rule of Earthbending,” Gao snorted. “Earth is the element of substance. Why would you divide your Earth and make it weak in its division for a fancy trick?”

Jinyi realized that despite his jovial, easy-going appearance, Gao was a hardened killer, much more inured to violence than even she was.

Yan nodded, before turning to the gangsters still in the room.

“Many of you have been left with your lives,” Yan announced solemnly. ”I advise you all to be thankful that you are left with them. If we are fortunate, we will never meet again. Now, take your wounded and your dead and leave.”

The gangsters who were still alive raised their heads at the person they had come to kill speaking so formally. But still, they complied, the less wounded picking themselves up and dragging the more seriously wounded out with them. Despite Yan’s invitation to, no one bothered with the dead.

Yan tutted as he uprighted the table he had been sitting at, before scooping up what remained of his calligraphy set.

“What a waste of good ink,” he sighed. The calligraphy set had spilled with the table, the ink pooling and mixing with the blood on the floor.

“I never finished signing, did I?” Jinyi commented, picking up her contract from where it lay on the ground, wet and tattered, but still legible.

“True, but my ink is ruined,” Yan pointed out. “What will you finish it with?”

“What are you talking about? Ink is ink, isn’t it?” said Jinyi, grabbing the calligraphy brush before dipping it in the puddle. In one sharp flick, she finished her name with a stroke that was mulberry red.

“Ha! It looks like you found the woman you were looking for!” laughed Gao, clapping Yan’s shoulder.

“Indeed I did,” Yan admitted, before turning to Jinyi. “It seems you’re officially my bodyguard now.”

“I am,” Jinyi nodded. “But I have one question though. Who am I really bodyguarding you against?”

“Does it matter?” asked Yan, “Shouldn’t you be prepared to deal with threats no matter where they come from?”

“I should,” agreed Jinyi. “But this attack was very well planned for a street gang hit. Someone clearly paid them a lot of money to kill you. You said this was a family squabble. Who are your relatives that they can hire the entire Red Tigerdillo Gang?" 

Yan gave Jinyi a pained smile before answering. 

"The Earth Kingdom royal family."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   1. Jinyi’s long dagger is based on a variant of the butterfly swords used in Wing Chun, White Crane, and other Southern Chinese styles. You can see one of the pirates using these in the Avatar Book 1 episode The Waterbending Scroll. This type of crossguard is usually called a swastika-shaped crossguard. Yes, that swastika. It was an auspicious symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism long before it was appropriated by the Nazis.
>   2. If you’ve ever watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles you’ll recognize this as Michaelangelo’s weapon. Though mostly associated with Okinawan martial arts, variations of it can also be found in China, India, and throughout Southeast Asia.
>   3. 金怡 for those curious. As Chinese has many homophones, it is necessary to explain what characters are used to write a name by giving each one in the context of a two-character word. Jinyi’s name is also inspired by the Jinyiwei, the personal bodyguard and secret police of Ming dynasty emperors. The _Jinyi_ in Jinyiwei is 錦衣 or “brocaded jacket”, referring to the embroidered uniform they wore. _Wei_ (衛) just means “guard”.
>   4. Another common trope in _wuxia fiction_ , showing a swordsman’s style through their calligraphy.
>   5. 大刀 literally meaning “big broadsword”, a heavy two-handed sword popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was used even into the 20th century in the Chinese Civil War and Sino-Japanese War. The size of Gao’s _dadao_ is somewhat exaggerated.
>   6. The leading kick to the knee is a favored opening technique in Jeet Kune Do, as it uses the practitioner’s longest weapon against the closest target. Bruce Lee talks about it in Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method.
>   7. 鳳眼拳 The variant depicted in the show extends the knuckle of the index finger, but there is also a version with the middle knuckle extended.
>   8. 劍 is usually translated as “sword”, but specifically refers to ones with straight double-edged blades. It is called the “gentleman of weapons” and is associated with the aristocracy rather than the common soldier, as it requires more training to wield than the _dao_. The variant Yan carries is the _duanjian_ (短劍) or short sword, which is more practical for everyday wear.
>   9. Now we see the utility of the back quillon on the dagger. These blade-catching techniques are common in Wing Chun and White Crane’s butterfly sword methods.
>   10. Another common trope in _wuxia_ fiction, jumping across rooftops using _qinggong_ (AKA “wire-fu”). If you’ve seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, you might remember a cheeky line about a character’s rooftop being especially busy on a particular night.
>   11. Temple guardians, called _dvarapala_ in Sanskrit, are commonly seen outside Buddhist temples. They usually take the form of fearsome warriors. Despite their sometimes frightening appearance, they are, in fact, meant to be benevolent. 
> 



End file.
